


Cowboy

by Tarlan



Category: The Magnificent Seven (TV)
Genre: Community: trope_bingo, Handcuffed Together, M/M, Post-Series
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-27
Updated: 2016-10-27
Packaged: 2018-08-27 10:33:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 875
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8398183
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tarlan/pseuds/Tarlan
Summary: It takes a bounty hunter on Vin's trail to make Chris realize how much Vin means to him.





	

**Author's Note:**

> For **Trope Bingo** Round 7: handcuffed/bound together

After the incident with Ella Gaines, Chris was irritated when any attempt to ride off alone ended up with Vin following, even when he made it real clear he didn't want the company. Vin simply waited out his anger before joining him at his campfire, or pulling out a seat in whatever distant saloon Chris found himself after a hard ride. Chris had already asked Mary to back off, finally admitting if only to himself that he had no desire for the admittedly beautiful and clever but smothering woman. Not that Vin was any better in that respect. Chris knew both of them meant well, but at least he could relax around Vin without feeling like he was being judged and found wanting.

If Vin had one major fault though, it was his lack of self-preservation when it came to his friends. He was a man with a bounty on his head - dead or alive - and the more unscrupulous bounty hunters tended to favor dead as that way they didn't have to worry about guarding and feeding their prisoner until they could hand him over to the law.

Chris guessed he should feel grateful the one who had followed Vin out of town had more honorable traits, though maybe if he hadn't been so falling-down drunk he might have been able to do something about the situation. Instead of rescuing Vin he'd woken from a drunken sleep with a raging headache, shackled to his friend.

"Ain't seen no bounty poster on you, Cowboy, but that don't mean you ain't got one; you running around with this murdering hound and all."

The bounty hunter took advantage to pour himself some coffee heated over the small campfire Chris had started the previous night before he'd started to wallow in the bottle of whiskey he'd carried in his saddlebag. He looked blearily at Vin, too hungover to do more than groan at the unfairness of his miserable life. The bounty hunter slid a mug of coffee his way.

"Best sober up, Cowboy. Don't want you puking all the way to the next town."

"Don't call me a cowboy," he gritted out, catching a tiny smile curve Vin's lips sardonically; Vin was probably the only person who had ever called him that and got away with it.

Despite his hangover state, his glare still had enough force to make the bounty hunter tense.

Chris sobered quickly enough once they were moving, eventually taking advantage of a moment of carelessness to help Vin unseat the bounty hunter while Chris grabbed for his gun. It was all over in seconds.

"Best you just hand over those keys," Vin stated softly.

The man held up his hands. "Now, I treated you both fairly so there's no need to pull that trigger, Cowboy."

"Told you not to call me that," Chris snarled, finger tightening on the trigger.

The man seemed to curl in on himself in fear but, insults aside, he had been fair when he could have simply killed Vin and left Chris behind to wake up not knowing what had happened to his friend. That thought sobered him more quickly than any mug of strong coffee, making him aware of how he'd been taking Vin for granted since Ella's betrayal. He'd been wallowing in self-pity, sinking into the bottle and lashing out at anyone who dared offer him some comfort. He was surprised Vin had stuck around; everyone else now gave him a wide berth.

They left the bounty hunter shackled to a tree, knowing he'd figure his way out of his predicament by nightfall, but at least it bought them several hours head start in case the man was too bullheaded to let this particular bounty go.

As they rode back towards the town, Chris took the time to really look at the man riding by his side, finally understanding why he'd always been more tolerant and in tune with Vin from the first time their eyes met across a dusty street. It was a humbling thought knowing he cared more for Vin than for any woman he'd met since Sarah, and he didn't need words to know Vin felt the same way too. 

Vin broke the silence. "You know I ain't never going to get that bounty off my head."

Chris nodded, pulling on the reins slightly to follow a barely visible trail heading off at an angle towards his shack. Vin followed after the briefest moment of hesitation.

"Then it's time to move on before that bounty hunter or others come gunning for you." He saw Vin frown, those cornflower-blue eyes screwing up in consternation. Chris glanced back over his shoulder and smiled, feeling a weight lift off him for the first time since losing Sarah and then discovering Ella was responsible. "Heard there's good grazing land south of Mexico. Perfect for setting up a horse ranch... and no bounty hunters neither."

By now Vin had come up beside him, eyes smiling as he reached out to Chris for their familiar forearm shake only to widen in surprise when Chris pulled him in and kissed him. For a moment Chris thought he'd misread everything, but then a beautiful, lazy smile took Chris's breath away.

"'Bout time, Cowboy."

END  
 


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